I am very excited about this season and was very lucky to be at the launch of the 1st musical theatre festival.

It was officially opened and launched on November 9th. Music theatre will be a delight for children and adults alike during the month of January 2017. Equally the experience of live musical theatre seems wonderful and magical. The Athenaeum Theater where the production will take place is a beautiful historic building. that was opening in 1839. I also believe that there is such a creative and marvelous idea to have a summer festival of musical theatre.

The opening on the 9th of November began with a speech and then we were treated to a superb rendition of one Enchanted Evening, and there was much comic relief involved in the morning. First rate piano playing was also part of the launch. A vibrant atmosphere ensued in the sensational historical building that is the Athenaeam. The season will kick off with Some Enchanted Evening a collection of compositions and songs from Rodgers and Hammerstein with the hits from some glorious musicals including The King and I , Oklahoma and The Sound of music . This beaut collection of great songs, sung by talented artists begins on the 6th of January till January the 28th.

Chriss Crossed is a premiere of a new Australian musical comedy. The second in the line up its about a man due to be wed soon who is a cross dresser. This unique comedy has the man Chriss in a dilemma, as to whether he will come clean to his future bride, about this secret. Chriss Crossed aptly named starts January 20 and runs till the 28th bound to be a lighthearted thoroughly enjoyable evening of viewing.

The next theatre nights involve A Fractured Fairytale. These hilarious pieces of musical theatre are story/tales that can include the whole family and are comic tales of characters from many fairy tales coming together and intermixing to make for an action packed night of fun and laughs. There are three Fractured Fairytales: the first being Hansel and Gretel A Fractured Fairytale which shows (9-14 th of January ) followed by Snow White: A Further Fractured Fairytale starts January 16th - 21st. Red Riding Hood: A Third Fractured Fairytale. runs 23-28th of January. The final musical in the season is Peter Pan: A Croc Rock Musical. This is an energetic spin on a production of the original story of Pan. Bringing music and theatre together to make for a unique encounter with the story and characters of the Peter Pan tale.

I am expressing my special thanks for the amazing experience of the launch and taste of this brilliant Summer Season Festival of Melbourne Musical Theatre . I very much look forward to seeing Some Enchanted evening, in January.

SEMINAR NEWNEW PRODUCTION AT CHAPEL OFF CHAPELwebsitereview by Jessica-Lee Murphy

Seminar: A Comedy by Theresa Rebeck.

What a wonderful, fearless and joyful experience!! We all love comedy, but this play is brilliant. Chapel off Chapel is the venue of so many unique performances. One could describe “Seminar” as a dark comedy about brilliant people. The cast complement each other nicely. Dion Mills, Ra Chapman, Cazz Bainbridge, Darcy Kent, and Mark Yeates. I have no doubt in my mind that this perfectly orchestrated performance will boost all their individual careers, and you will see a lot more of them.I, Jessica-Lee Murphy and my partner Michael Kuzilny have seen many plays. Some make you look at the time, to see how much longer you have to sit there; others capture every moment of your attention, and take you through the rainbow of your emotions. This is one of those plays. And ask yourself; when was the last time you had a really good belly laugh to get those endorphins fired up. If you need one of those great belly laughs, this play has all the right ingredients. Big laughs, sex, recklessness and a rush of pleasure. So sit back and enjoy the ride…..

Melbourne did not roll out its best weather for Melbourne Cup day. Cool weather, rain squalls and wind gusts kept race goers on their toes and with their wet weather gear close at hand. Umbrellas or a run to covered areas were the most favoured forms of avoiding the rain. Some hardier people were ready with ponchos to keep the rain off.

Apparently 100,000 people attended the cup. It certainly felt that way. It was difficult to move around, and there were queues for everything.

The atmosphere in the crowd for the Cup was electric with a strong crush on the rails. Some people who had clearly arrived very early to stake out their piece of the rails had to work hard to maintain their space and view.

AAMI DERBY DAY AT FLEMINGTON BY VICTORIA RACING CLUB NEWwebsitepress release by Stuart Buchanan

Melbourne produced beautiful sunny weather for Derby Day.

Arriving on the train was a great unfussed way to get to Flemmington Racecourse. The view from the train was very colourful with beautiful rose beds and a large colourful crowd. The racecourse looked massive.

The crowd was happy, friendly and having a good time. Everyone was well dressed and enjoying what felt like a large party. There were clearly a few racing lovers, but in the main the races appeared to be a side interest of most of the attendees.

For opera lovers and particularly the powerful Richard Wagner, "Tristan und Isolde" is a must to see and listen. It is his short opera with length of over four hours, compared to the longest ever "Ring Cycle" one of 18 hours in length. Wagner himself called his "Tristan und Isolde" the best of his operas. Influenced by Celtic legend, the tale made its way to our modern times from the 12th century and the emotions reflected in music considered to be the personal experience of Wagner in love suffering with impossible progress after all. Thus, the personal experience prompted the search for musical and emotional expression of the love that was untrammeled by social standards. The story narrates the idea of romantic love between the Cornish night and hero Tristan and a beautiful Irish princess Isolde. Wagner creates the great mix of drama, poetry and the tonality in music that makes the whole composition simply sensual, spiritual, erotic and intelligent. The music seem to take you out of this place into the space where no time exists. Perhaps because of this effect as well as the use of non standard, brand new combination of the notes in the chord titles "Tristan und Isolde" as the most influential and powerful opera of all times. Live in HV production is made possible by a generous grant from The Neubauer Family Foundation and Bloomberg Philanthropies. It was a debut by Stuart Skelton, who absolutely loved working with Nina Stemme, playing Isolde. The interviews after or before each acts were fascinating and very educational too. Brilliant voices. I loved them:) I thought they matched each other really well from voices point of view as well as physically.

EMIRATES STAKES DAY AT FLEMINGTON RACECOURSE BY VICTORIA RACING CLUB NEWwebsitepress release by Ivan Lubkov

Melbourne Cup Carnival 2016 – Emirates Stake dayThe Melbourne Cup Carnival 2016 is a memorable, cultural event which is watched throughout Australia and is talked about throughout the whole wold. This year The Flemington race course had a grand expansion to the general access area “The park”. The massive addition almost doubled the visitor territory. It is located on the hill and holds a great amount of entertainment ranging from Myer fashion booths, L’Oreal Paris Powder room, carousels, ferret wheel and several new places to buy alcohol.The week of entertainment concluded with a grand day “Emirates Stakes day” which was tailored for all age groups with a slogan “No Height Restrictions”. The General access territory transformed into a unique children-friendly entertainment area. Throughout the whole day the stage area had live music by famous music artists, comedy shows and face paint stalls for youngsters. The security teams made sure that no patrons exceed acceptable level of alcohol consumption. The Park area had a lot of places selling alcohol without any queues. Visitors were able to purchase beverages without having to step away from the fun the and not having to wait in queues.As a result of the hard work and planning done by the Flemington Racecourse administration the Melbourne Cup turned into a family event which would be interesting not only for racing enthusiasts but also for anyone wishing to get entertainment for the young.

Oak's Day Fashion on the field. Shot straight centre behind of the judges for pretty much the entire day. Was a day of fantastic fashion and colorful minilary designs. Started with 16 heats for the Women Racewear for Victoria. The winner of that went on to compete with all the winners from the different Sprint Racing carnivals from this year to determine the over all Victorian finalists. This was followed by the competition for Lady of Leisure Minilnary competition. Winner received a trip for 2 to London as well as cash prizes. The final Women Racewear competition was held between the different states. South Australia took the honour for this year. Was a great day with fun had by all.

The concert was absolutely amazing.It was first time for me to attend Spring Music Festival in Macedon and I have to say it was a marvelous musical journey for me and my friend.I am not from a music background myself but we both were very impressed with this beautiful harmony and the skilss of the musicians.The programme of music was most enjoyable and entertaining. The concert took place in the most gorgeous environment of a private and looked well after garden. More to that: the host made an excellent contribution to the enjoyment of the afternoon and the icing on the cake was some yummy food and catering service and very tasty wine.If you love high class entertainment with the best musicians in town this elite concerts of Australian and international musicians are just for you and your taste! I am looking forward for the next event and new experiences.

Pop-Up Events organised a luxurious ball at the Victorian Dance Hall in Fitzroy. The evening was themed in the in the appealing 1920-s period when crime was one of the key factors that shaped the society in America during that time. The crime syndicates had a very complex structure where the Gangsters were the most dangerous and wealthy. Even until now the gangsters are the inspiration for countless films and TV shows and are highly valued by the world community as they symbolize an era of endless possibility, freedom, and lavish lifestyle.The Dance Hall is sufficiently spacious to allow perfect siting of 340 guests and to leave enough room for dancing. The event was catered with an extensive list of beverages ranging from Beer, wine, and hard spirits. The entertainment program was amusing for people of all age groups starting from 20 and up to way over 50 years old.The show started off by giving each visitor a card which was used multiple times to play out various games and quizzes. The entertainment included cabaret dancing, fire shows, live acoustic music and wonderful opera singing. The guests had plenty of opportunities to take and print out photos within a specialized photo booth. The acoustic music allowed dances with a variety of styles and rhythms.Overall the event was a great success, every visitor went home with a smile, a lot of photos and wonderful memories that would last for years. The ball left a pleasant impression and anyone interested in luxury or themed entertainment should definitely keep watch for future social parties brought by Pop-Up Events.

press release by Stuart Buchanan (Third Life Photography)

The Inaugural Gangsters and Frappers pop up ball was held at St Bridgets Hall in Fitzroy. The hall added wonderfully to the ambicience of the 1920;s style ball. There was a great turnout. People were friendly and mingled easily. The MC ensured interaction and meeting of new people through a number of games. One of the features of these games was a card that was handed out on entry to the hall. The entertainment was good and got people up and dancing.

The three popup bars provided a wide range of drinks and cocktails to keep the party swinging.

I would definitely recommend that you attend in 2017 if you get the chance.

This year’s Santa’s Magical Kingdom will be at the Caulfield racecourse starting from November the 18th with new and exciting activities and characters for Melbournians. On 22nd October a special morning tea event was organized for a sneak peak for Santa’s Magical Kingdom. This event offered various activities for kids such as painting, story telling and meeting some of the favorite characters such as The Snow Queen herself, Branch and Poppy (The Trolls). The event started with some story telling by the slow queen, meet and greet which was followed by some delicious food and beverages followed. Then the kids were all in for a surprise guests Branch and Poppy who entertained the kids for sometime and happily posed for photos. Then the kids painting activities started as the Snow queen went around and interacted with the guests with her warm smile. The two-hour event showed the invited guests a small glimpse of what they could expect from the forth-coming mega event and one of the most awaited fun fair of the year at the Caulfield racecourse on the 18th of November. It’s always going to be fun around Santa’s Magical Kingdom, which cannot be missed at any cost.

ARCHIBALD PRIZE EXHIBITION AT BALLARAT ART GALLERY NEWwebsitereview and photos by Jeanette RusselThe spectacular event began on October the 14th and runs until the 27th of November and is well worth consideration. The Archibald Prize exhibits portraits of some unique and extraordinary Australians that are notable. Bringing together a remarkable display of art of which its subjects range from sporting personalities, artists, politicians and celebrities to name a few, who have certainly excelled in their various fields of expertise. I highly recommend the viewing at the Art Gallery of Ballarat. Being the largest and oldest regional art gallery in Australia it is very impressive. A lovely building heritage listed and registered by the National Trust of Victoria. Taking the Prize this year is Louise Hearman's portrait of international celebrity Barry Humphries. Louise has said that she has been enchanted by stories of Humphries for years and relished the occasion to paint this winner named,"Barry".

Other delightful exhibits, just to mention a few I felt were There's "No humour in darkness", a portrait of Garry McDonald by Kirsty Neilson, "Double reality" (self portrait) by Imants Tillers fascinated me. Put together using 64 canvas boards where he is featured twice. Tillers represent an artwork of mind and a visual poem..Striking I found, was Guan Wei's self portrait called " Plastic surgery ", depicted over 4 canvases. Explored is his experience of struggle to find his place as an immigrant in Australia. Lucy Cullition's "Lucy and Fans" captured my eye. It is a self portrait of herself being surrounded by her own fantail pigeons.

All the paintings were breathtaking and wonderful. I found them all to be individual, and amazing. Attached are the pictures of the above mentioned paintings in order.

THE WOMAN IN BLACK NEWwebsitereview by Irina Ivanovaphotos; Irina Parakhina at Photoverita

​The Woman in BlackThe Alex's Theater, St Kilda

With Halloween celebrations not far away, we’ve got all the chills and thrills from watching the goosebumps-provoking production of The Woman in Black last Friday night. It is a play based on the horror novella with the same name, which was written by Susan Hill in 1983, and a few years later adapted for the stage by playwright Stephen Mallatratt. The Woman in Black has been shown in London’s West End for 28 years, with over 7 million people having seen it. Guardian newspaper has dubbed it as "One of the British theatre’s biggest – and scariest – hits”. We are lucky to have it coming to Melbourne now!

Produced by Redfox3 Theater and its Artistic director Justin Stephens, this spooky story was brought to life by Chris McLean and Kieran Tracey – greatly talented actors, both well known to theater-goers, though both new to this genre. The name of the main silent heroine was understandably left behind the scenes.

The stage production of The Woman in Black is a play within a play, which means it doesn’t require a large cast of actors, as the two men can perform a handful of characters with a little change of costumes and demeanor.

The play starts in total darkness with gloomy haze spreading from the stage into the rows of the thrilled audience. Elderly Arthur Kipps tells a scary story to a young actor in hope to get it out of his mind and exorcise the ghost that has hunted him for 30 years. The actor’s aim is to help Arthur present the story to his future audience. So he takes up the role of young Kipps, a junior solicitor, who is sent to visit a mysterious Eel Marsh House near remote town of Crythin Gifford to finish up affairs of a recently deceased client. Meanwhile the older Kipps plays about half a dozen characters, swiftly changing from one supporting personage to another.

Coming to the client’s funeral Arthur sees a woman with wasted face, who is dressed in all black. When Arthur tries to speak about her to other citizens of the little town, he discovers the terrible reasons why people avoid mentioning her.

With the use of simple theatrical tricks the actors created the total illusion of submerging into the story: bouncing on a large basket as if they were riding a horse carriage or rocking on chairs imitating a train motion. A special applause goes to the sound effects accompanying the play. All the heartbreaking screams and excruciating noises made people jump off their seats. The stage was set with a few household props and an enigmatic closed round door that caused a lot of scares later in the play.

The woman in black was emerging suddenly, out of nowhere. It was pretty amazing how silently the actress changed her location across the stage. I could not fight the thought that the creepy lady can appear anywhere next time, she might even walk between the rows of seats! Truly terrifying story, excellent production, thought-through staging, and brilliant acting made The Woman in Black an experience to remember.

Dance Territories - Border Lines, Venue: DancehouseThe team at Dancehouse present a re-creation of acclaimed performances by Sara-Jane Norman, Carly Sheppard, Nacera and Dalila Belaza. The main theme of the whole night is Border lines between society, body, mind, culture, and time.At the entrance patrons are presented an option to contribute to the play by sharing their belongings to be included in the first part of the show: The Rivers Children. The concept from Sarah-Jane Norman presents subtle yet somewhat distressful life of a woman doing her everyday chores amidst a peaceful nature surrounding. The play conveys the sadness and tragedy ingrained in the hearts of Aboriginal communities after the meaningless massacres in Australian colonial history.

At the entrance to the next play “Take this, For This is My Body” and “Heirloom” the viewer is presented with warning signs that the next scenes involve provocative use of blood. At first spectators get into a state of shock and some even start sweating from seeing the act unfold. As viewers leave the room the sense of dismay slowly transitions into calm and regret for the acts of cruelty during the early days of settlement.

After seeing the stories from Australian history the show transitions into conceptual views over culture, entertainment and the state of the mind of modern society. The contemporary artistic dance “The Shout” choreographed by Nacera Belaza and performed by her together with her sister Dalila explores the impact of globalization. The viewer is presented with the link between mind and pace of life. In old times the inner world is shown in balance during the cultural rituals. Slowly, as the human society accelerates in its life style the initial tranquillity turns into abrupt, chaotic and sometimes destructive state of mind. In the post-modern representation the world is shown as a place where human thought would no longer differentiate space and dimension and eventually would end up in a standstill.

The show showcased an ensemble of looks, styles and from over 15 designer's such as Akira, Collette Dinnigan, George Gross, Harry Who, Jag, John Cavill, Prue Acton, Stuart Membery, Tea Rose Couture and Third Millennium

Adam Heath took us through the archives of Australian Fashion history and its close relation to Australia's most celebrated artists. The run was blast from the past with visual timeline of Australian Fashion from the '60s till today. With music relevant to each decade.

The pieces had members of the audience from the different decades reminiscent of their youth, recalling the trends and fashion culture they where brought up wearing, from Go go boots, denim jackets all the way to the retro knitwear of the 90s

The show showcased an ensemble of looks, styles and from over 15 designer's such as Akira, Collette Dinnigan, George Gross, Harry Who, Jag, John Cavill, Prue Acton, Stuart Membery, Tea Rose Couture and Third Millennium

Adam Heath took us through the archives of Australian Fashion history and its close relation to Australia's most celebrated artists. The run was blast from the past with visual timeline of Australian Fashion from the '60s till today. With music relevant to each decade.

The pieces had members of the audience from the different decades reminiscent of their youth, recalling the trends and fashion culture they where brought up wearing, from Go go boots, denim jackets all the way to the retro knitwear of the 90s

WA designer capsule, brought us a view into WAs most talented designers showcasing lux basic, bohemian style and relaxed elegance looks of this season featuring Bruug, House of SKYE and Natalie Rolt.

First up House of SKYE brought us the looks of the summer wear. Ranging from the summer dresses we all envy to wear, to the swimwear that is all to familiar of WA beach goers.

Next up BRUUG brought us a splash of bright colours to daily wear for this coming Spring and Summer looks

And finally Natalie Rolt gave us the direction of WAs elegant looks for the red carpet and the pool side

SET 4 DAY 3 EVENT 1-2 (BTS and RUNWAY)Myer Lunch and Two Eventspress release: Manish Bolla

​Myers fashion lunch and 2 more eventsEvent 1 - Myers Fashion Lunch @ Perth convention centre overlooking the swan river and Elizabeth quay - Runway with some amazing view.Special appearance by Super model and Myer's brand Ambassador Jennifer Hawkins.Jennifer Hawkins is an Australian Super model, brand ambassador, entrepreneur, television presenter and beauty queen best known for being crowned Miss Universe Australia in 2004Afternoon was presented with red carpet arrival. Vvip and A listers Spent afternoon indulging in canapes and a delicious two-course lunch accompanied by the finest Australian wines and enjoyed an exclusive preview of the latest Spring/Summer looks from Myer's line up of leading Australian designers including Alex Perry, Morrison and Aje. Event 2 - Design Runway by Manning Cartell.Personnel experience : The runway showed some exquisite dresses where antiquity meets modernization. Leading Australian designers Manning Cartell will debut their Diaphanous Resort 17 collection at TPFF. Utility meets femininity in a light minded collection that merges modern romanticism with industrial elements. Bold graphic stripes contrast vibrant colour clashes, rich textures and patterns in a luxurious mix of layering, deconstruction and movementEvent 3 - Designs by Whole 9 YardsPersonal experience photographing the event : Exquisite use of floral and lace. Design showed from casual wear to evening wear. Easy flowing summer dresses. Amazing setup of the stage which took this runway to the whole new level.Singaporean label Whole9Yards will make their first Australian runway appearance with their Spring/Summer 17 collection.The collection exudes femininity through their signature use of lace, embriodery and floral motifs, while the effortless styling and creative approach to fabric manipulation infuses the feminine designs with a sense of coolness.

The runway featured WA's future leading designers showcasing students works from WA's top Fashion Institutions and universities. The works where made to fit the following categories: -Ready to wear Women's -Ready to wear Men's -Evening wear -Eco Design -Costume Personally the Evening wear category showcased some fantastic pieces that exhibited some new cutting edge styles that I can definitely foresee hitting the red carpet in the years to come.

One fell swoop proved to be one of the most memorable runways of the Fashion Festival Showcasing their Spring/Summer and Resort 17 collections. The runway was decorated with a stylishly draped mannequins and fog to reflect the elegant drape influenced design and attention to detailed dresses.

SET 7: DAY 4 EVENT 1press release: Manish Bolla

Small brief for day 4Witnessed some amazing designs by fashion design students. This shows WA gas some amazing artists to offer. Runway was truely Incredible. The most promising student designers from WA's leading fashion institutions and universities will showcased their exciting original designs in this Festival favourite. Featuring student designs in categories including:Ready-to-wear WomenswearReady-to-wear MenswearEvening WearEco DesignCostumeRegards ManishMK Creative Imagery

Runway 1 - Empire RoseWitness the most phenomenal modern dresses from this very talented designer.In another phenomenal runway event, Empire Rose will immersed runway into a world of modern haute couture, where the divinely decadent meetes uber cool street style.A majestic tapestry of jacquards cascaded into a landscape of burnished copper sequins alongside exaggerated shapes, painting a picture that is simultaneously of this moment and timeless.Runway 2 - New GenerationPersonnel experience : The amazing dress display of Perth's amazing emerging designer were absolutely mind blowing.Future of WA fashion up close in the cutting-edge runway show featuring the original collections from five of WA's talented emerging designers.Featuring:Elle CampbellRemi LaneTamara LooLyndal MalarkeyRosemaree White

SET 10: DAY 5press release: Manish Bolla

Venue : Art Gallery of WA

Finale night was buzzing with Perth's A Lister's. Show started with red carpet arrival and cocktail session. runway we saw the most extravagant dresses and head gear from WA's most talented designer and flower artists.

Runway featured some amazing dresses, some mind blowing head pieces and flower art.

Western Australia's own Caris Tiivel - Miss Universe Australia 2016 walked the most amazing runway and was a show stopper.

Manish's final comments:

"Fashion is the armour to survive the reality of everyday life." So said the late Bill Cunningham. The eccentric, the avant-garde, the true brilliance of design in it's finest form; The Art of Fashion. That is precisely what this group of WA's most progressive designers will be celebrating in this spectacular showcase to close the 18th Festival. Bewildering to the eye, curious to the senses and like nothing Perth has ever seen featuring millinery by Reny Kestel and floral design by Rebecca Grace of Natural Art Flowers.

During the Fringe Festival this year the magnificent Kensington Town Hall welcomed under its roof the cast of 13 actors presenting ‘Falling Apples’ – a new play by La Mama theatre. Written by a Norwegian playwright Lene Therese Tiegen, the play was done in the best Chekhovian traditions. Sympathetically but without embellishments it portrays the common situations people are born in and ways they choose to respond to them and build a future for themselves.

The large hall was transformed into a massively long stage with strong acoustics of a high ceiling building. The audience was offered to take a seat in the single line of chairs facing the actors spread across the improvised stage. The unusual setting of the play, skillfully directed by award winning Peta Hanrahan, was very exciting. Mysteriously lit by mobile phone torches, the show began.

Started off in chaos of what looked like a Brownian motion, where actors moved across the stage in random directions, colliding with one another only occasionally and definitely on purpose, the choreography revealed particular patterns in their routes and actions. At some points two or three characters coincided into flares of short dialogues and then returned to their silent floating around. In the beginning the plot was a bit of a challenge to follow. However eventually everything took its place and became clearer. The play gradually developed a few storylines in parallel, slowly intertwining the lives of 13 characters into one wide web of relations.

A special character was attentively overlooking all that was happening in the lives of others. That was a young woman who had been confined in a painting for 500 years by her father, jealous of his daughter’s artistic talent. Being looked at and analyzed for all this time, the young woman now had a chance to observe other people’s life dramas. She compassionately involved into their emotional states and tried to help, thus playing a role of a mediator in the service of good will and reconciliation.

In the culmination of the play the whole cast of actors sat in a line right opposite the line of spectators. It felt so freaky and intimidating, but at the same time even more intriguing. All the secrets were finally revealed, the masks were dropped, and the characters unfolded all their quirks and dilemmas.

The extraordinary staging and talented performance of the cast, which was assembled of independent actors and Stage Verve graduates, made the play a unique, unforgettable experience.

​Welcome to the party, called wedding! What a complex job for a bridesmaid to be is as you are in charge of speech preparations, gifts, costumes, activities and creating an atmosphere of celebration. A wedding can be fulfilled with quirks, funny stories, unpredictable events and odd guests with their life stories to tell. Humour can release the stress and tension of the wedding! So, if you are hunting for a quirky, hilarious and very Australian presentation of how the wedding needs to be performed and personalities that are involved in the wedding process, please, come and see this show! All of the sudden you find yourself in the small and cosy room on the roof top in North Melbourne where the performance occurred. It felt like you came to the main character’s home for a visit. Unusual transformations of one actor who delivered different personalities in the wedding kept changing one after another. Are you a quite friend who wants to skip the whole event and just read? Or you are a breastfeeding mother who was invited to the wedding and being judged by society? May be you are a friend from Toorak who likes to party and seeking to give a speech in front of the crowd? All these roles were easy recognisable and shown with a glimpse of satire. The performance extravagancy at times and also nudity were not designed for the conservative because the main actress presented stereo types found in Australia introducing costumes that highlighted and enhanced each personality that you can meet in weddings. Now we know what to expect from real celebrations when people get together! This comedy obtained a hash tag as “very funny “on the wall of Courthouse Hotel and we now know why. If you are up for good laugh and a girl’s night out, this 50 minute show is recommended.

Review by Anastasia Thomas30.09.16“Bridesmaid to be”Courthouse Hotel – The Dock

MELBOURNE FRINGE FESTIVAL 2016: 4 + 4 = 4 websitereview: Elmira Navid and Media Rangi4 + 4 = 4Aerial theatre! At the Gingerbread House inside Emerald City, North Melbourne Meat Market, we were transported to a surreal world ruled by the mighty ropes. The Flying Xamels’ unique dreamy storytelling presents four intertwined narratives. We can see elements of ourselves in each character as we watch them swing through their life journey, interacting with one another in various ways.

Though the beauty of such abstract visual art lies in endless possibilities of subjective interpretations, some of the themes include trial and persistence. Each character is determined and focused on a personal quest while conversing with one another in the vertical space of what we may take as a metaphor for our chaotic world.

The dream-like slow and gentle performance is interrupted by a lurking figure transgressing into the stage violently. He jumps and rolls, breaking the staged calm, destroying the drawing artist’s creative expressions over and over until he gives up... The last message is far too powerful to break down: are our lives all a mere puppet show?

The artists’ technical skills and confidence while performing a collective narrative on ropes with breathtaking movements are indeed applaudable. Along with mood-setting stage props, complementary music and lighting works, this abstract reflection works well as an aerial play offering an abstract reflection on our everyday interactions and struggles.

The diversity of the cast is also worthy of mention. We can relate to the characters as we further recognize parallels with our own worlds. Though it may seem as a given, the art world does not always reflect the heterogeneity of our societies. To include a multiplicity of identities in this collective narrative highlights the overarching theme of our social existence.

This performance invites us to consider endless connections on our journey of becomings and dares us to persevere. We may retain our individuality by swinging only on our own ropes. However, in order to sustain harmony, we need to grow together, share our serenity, and integrate as a collective. Mediya Rangi​

By Compass & QuranI found this short film to be very informative and enlightening. Such a colourful eye opening story of the Muslim cameleers opening up so many parts of outback Australia that would not have been explored and indeed settled for many years if it hadn't been for their extraordinary courage, strength determination, and great work ethic. It explores the history of the Afgan Muslim cameleers, in Australia, over 150 yrs. This documentary covers many interesting topics regarding these cameleers, incorporating their journeys through the dessert within Australia. The film encompasses their lives living as Muslims in Australia and the opposition they experienced. How they often lived on the fringe of communities, was featured, and even problems relating to relationships and marriage. Information was sourced from newspapers and old films as well as the direct discentants and relatives of the cameleers. It was most interesting to have their perspective of various lives and journeys of the Muslims, and their experiences here. Historians weigh in with some facinating insights into challanges that so many of these men and women faced. ​The documentary was written and directed by Kuranda Seyit . While it was produced by Fadle El Harris. Kuranda Seyit was at the Salam Fest: muslim film festival, and kindly provided a Q & A with the audience, which was really educational. Seven years in the making this film provided him with opportunities to do research and meet with many people pertaining to the doco. His illuminating talk was great. He co‐founded the award winning “Goodness and Kindness Program” , and received the Pride of Australia medal in 2005. Fadle El Harris recieved "Most Outstanding Citizen of the Year" by Bankstown City Council for his teachings and contributions to N S W s colleges, TAFEs and communities. Thank you so much for the wonderful opportunity to review this film. I would like to give it 4/15 out of 5. Nefertiti's Daughters​I found this film to be moving, compelling and even confronting at times. Being able to review this documentary is something I am thankful for and appreciate the insight into the very challanging and sensitive issues that street artists and many people in Egypt have faced. The street artists featrued in the documentary find through their art a way to express messages of atrocicities and violence to humans, in their amazing and delicate art. Story's that unfold are of strong women, revolution and art. In the doco, we see the important role that the street art played to the artists during the Egyptian uprisings. Women artists were particularly featured getting across their messages of fighting for the rights of women in a society where they are so often brutilized and violated. Political transfomation and instability within the nation is at the fore, of these fasinating street art works. Captured is how Queen Nefertiti is there, in the art, fighting for women's freedom and rights in Egypt, now.Incorporated within these clever depictions are images of women rallying against acts of government cruelty against women. The art has played a pivotal role in modern Egyptian history. This doco is directed, produced and edited by Mark Nickolas. It is co-directed and produced by Elizabeth Van Meter. During viewing of the film I noticed it was focused on three prominent female artists. Bahia Shelab, Mira Shihadeh and Salma Samy. These women give their visions about the world, the trails, within their country and even within their gender. The score I would like to give this short film is 4 1/2 out of 5.

The idea of the show was born after Jessica Hackett, a spirited high school teacher, decided to walk from Melbourne to Canberra in order to deliver a petition calling for more humane and fair treatment of asylum seekers. Played passionately with genuine raw emotions, the Journey of a Thousand Smiles delivers some powerful stories of refugees describing the horrors from which they fled to Australia.

Deeply affected by the misfortunes of people stuck on Nauru, Jess was eager to express her disagreement with government’s actions. She believed that every human must have a welcoming spirit within and she wanted to prove it. And so she did! Jess was welcomed at many homes along the way, inspiring hope in people’s hearts.

Needless to say that Jessica has a delightful personality, so frank and sincere, that it is easy to imagine how people would open up to her with their intimate stories. When she talks about the uneasy lot of refugees, she beams with compassion and readiness to fight for them.

Everybody’s appreciated the smart move to include some amusing elements to lighten up the play: like the tale of Jess hunted by a cow, or Jess climbing over an electric fence. The audience laughed out loud and cheered. As if in an old silent movie, cute video fragments accompanied the storyline, and the incidental music enhanced the atmosphere of the presented situations.

Jess has spent 35 days on foot in sweltering summer heat, going through 50 townships. By the time she arrived at the Parliament house after 710 kilometers of walking she collected 17,000 signatures for ‘the welcome petition’.

SHOW RUNS TILL OCTOBER 1Once upon a time there was a group of magicians who came up with an idea of creating a Fairly Tale cook book story concept. Let’s pretend that there are lots of varieties of stories based on food ingredients and characters you personally choose. Let go your kid’s imagination and find yourself in a world of fairy tale that has never been written or produced. Four main actors, Mike, Katherine, Brenna, Gini and a passionate chef as the narrator, will put your ideas together and improvise on the spot! It’s an interactive 55 min duration show that engages mainly the audience of kids from 4 years old. Wicked stories included such characters as a frog, pirate, angry cat named Cleo, Unicorn, teasing Huntress, Giant called Mr Big and lots of others. Those characters ideas were presented in leaflets given to the audience for homework that could be finished and shared with friends. There were laughs among the viewers and the comedian element of the show could wake up the “fun part” of a parent sitting next door. The costumes of the characters were based on a basic pant and top in black concept. However, it needed some brightness in colour at times to enhance the effect of humour and support the performance with extra materials. Imagination of young kids is limitless when verbal and visual effects are joint in unison.The concept of letting your thoughts and imagination go was spot on. It’s great for young talents to learn what characters can be mixed in the pot. We are sure that the chosen ingredients will make a delicious dish and they will all live happily ever after…

La Dolce Vita: Broadway and Beyond was one that definitely took me beyond through the tantalising and beautiful rhythms and beats played throughout the night.

Saturday the 17th of September was a night of majestical and awe inspiring musical combinations and pure talent. There is no way i could describe the night that would actually live up to being there and watching it in person.

Melbournites were treated to an evening with the gorgeous and extremely talented pianist Tamara Vasilevitsky. Tamara made my heart just glow with the love and warmth she sent through the audience watching through her beautiful songs being played.

If you ever get the chance to see her perform live i would highly recommend it. There is just something so magical about being in a room with a muscian who shares their musical vibes with you and allows you to escape to another time and place.

Whilst Tamara was playing i think the thing i loved the most was that she took you on a journey. The music guided you through your own memories associated with the broadway shows musical spectacular songs she was playing.

And if that wasn't good enough we were also treated to musical accompaniment by singers Rada Tochalna and Brett Kaye. I am a very involved person when it comes to music and the role it plays in our lives and when Rada and Brett sang their voices in the St Johns Uniting Church just took you up out of your seat to a place where you could have no possible worries.

They performed songs to everyones liking so i am sure there will be something for you no matter your taste and style. My favourite songs played were definitely the broadway songs they took me back to the streets of New York City and reminded me of so many fond memories. For anyone who has seen a broadway show you will know the atmosphere this creates when watching a live performance.

The beautiful essence that the trio captured was that reminiscent of watching a broadway musical and of course music from across the globe.

I cannot even begin to thank the three mucisians for what they provided on this one night of entertainment. It is obvious to see they have that electric audience connection that you only get with performances like theirs.

I look forward to seeing more great performances such as this one from the trio. I will definitely be following their progress as they become global superstars. All the best for the future.

Please make sure you check them out online across their social media platforms where you can connect with them and listen for updates on their musical journeys as one and together.

In the spotlight of the 2016 Melbourne Fringe Festival there was the Man of the Year, recreating some of the most glorious moments in public speaking. Clad in a tailcoat and PJs, proudly stepping out in his slippers, Jason Cavanagh presented a new play by 5pound Theatre.

Opening up with a quote from the Bible that goes “The path of the righteous man…”, which we remember as Jules’ thundering monologue in Tarantino’s Pulp Fiction, Jason took the audience in time for the most memorable speeches that were presented by political leaders of different countries. Those speeches touched people’s hearts, they influenced their mindsets, and created the history. Each leader put immense passion into his or her words, pulling just the right strings of their nation’s souls. They’ve got trust, they’ve got following, and the most importantly – they’ve got power. That is what the Man of the Year talks about: power and influence, justified violence and sacrifice for the big ideas.

For Jason Cavanagh it was a chance to experience the moments in history that moved him, to step into shoes of great public figures such as Dr. Martin Luther King and Susan B Anthony. However those shoes looked a little bit awkward on, and the persistent voice behind the stage (Sharon Davis) was questioning every weighty word the presenter was using, emphasizing the importance of appropriateness. Realistically, can a white Australian man talk on behalf of an African-American civil rights fighter or women’s rights advocate?

Jason’s performance was truly impressive especially when he behaved as a psychopath threatening to take the audience hostage with that Chekhov’s gun he brought in at the beginning. That move was a bit unexpected and made some viewers pretty nervous. However, it all ended well, revealing that his cruel intentions were only a joke. Isn’t it strange how this situation reminds the aftertaste of some political actions?

The script accentuated the controversial use of power by leaders such as Hitler and Saddam Hussein. Nevertheless their speeches had certain captivating rhythm, worth recreating for their mighty effect.

The play was directed by multitalented Tim Wotherspoon, who continually collaborates with various Melbourne theatrical companies as an actor, director, and sound designer. The diversity of angles from Tim’s total experience with theatre craft gives him the aptitude to present his ideas in the most effective way. Linking the leaders into a conspiracy theory and investigating the power of words, Man of the Year produces good arguments and food for thought.

Circalicious is an acrobatic and aerial physical show. It is performed by the artists of Emerald City and local guests. A very entertaining show which took about an hour. Started with a solo entertainer who was the MC as well and ended with two stunningly beautiful hoop dancers.

The act is performed by the 50’s beach babe and all with a 50’s theme, making it the perfect way to start the show. The show continues to amaze with a silk rope dancer but with a twist, instead of the contemporary silk rope she involves an act of getting dressed on of the rope by undoing her outfit all tied on to the rope.

There seems to be a kids entertainer among other entertainers. The girl admits it herself that she usually performs for kids as you may assume it is quite an easy performance. However, the audiences were well engaged.

The show flows meticulously under the performance of two girls mastering the hoop dancing. They have trained for more than 1.5 years to master the tricks and perform at their excellence. They are simply amazing and they show the obvious skills, moving effortlessly.

Circalicious is a great show that entertains you for a full hour and it is recommended to be watched.

Islamofarcist is a show about one man’s experiences as a young boy, growing up a Muslim in Pakistan, to living an adult life as an atheist in Australia. “Sami” educates the audience in the nuances of Islam and with the aid of a PowerPoint slide show, reflects on passages within the Quran that led him to ask uncomfortable questions of those in positions of religious authority, to which unsuitable answers were given. Hence his ‘conversion’. The typical ‘drive-byes’ (references) to the perceived wrong-doings and influence of the United States will appeal to the usual suspects. Whilst there is some irony in his revelation that a ‘racist’ Australia will allow him to express alternative views of Islam, that otherwise would have him condemned in his homeland. “Sami” engages the audience with his explanations of Islam ‘101’, in a light hearted, aussie, ‘piss-take’ approach that is both entertaining and educational, with a few laughs along the way.

​Shane McInerney

TIVOLU THETAER OF PANTOMIMES: SNOW WHITE AND THE MAGIC DWARFS websitereview and photos by Glen Wilson

Snow White and the Magic DwarfsTivoli Theater PantomimesSt John’s Church Hall5 Finch St Street Malvern East.Snow White and the Magic DwarfsThis was my 2nd visit to a Tivoli Theatre Pantomimes production and their latest production was as always, fantastic.Mix up a classic Disney story with classic Disney songs, add some Oliver, Grease, the Smurfs and just a touch of grown up humor to keep the mums & Dads amused and you have a great couple of hours entertainment.The cast are excellent, and a special mention to the young performers who played the dwarfs with great acting and brilliant vocals.The theatre seating is rows of tables and chairs, rather than traditional theatre seating, which gives a party atmosphere to the performance.Tivoli Theatre is classic pantomime – just like I remember when I was a kid. Go along, take the kids and have a great time….A special thank you to Alta for allowing us to come along and photograph and review the show.Glen GW Photography.

Tania de Jong AM – sopranoHamish Gould – countertenorAnne Gilby – Oboe​The concert has been a wonderful opportunity for rediscovering some classical Italian music. It was organised by Melbourne Musicians and presented by Frank U. Pam, who is the artistic director.The concert was held at St Johns Southgate church and it saw the partecipation of Tania de Jong, acclaimed soprano and social entreperneur, the countertenor Hamish Gould and the oboist Anne Gilby. An orchestra of five violins, two violas, cello, bass, harpsichord and organ accompanied the soloists and it was directed by Frank Pam.The concert started with the oboist Anne Gilby's interpretation of the Concert in D minor, opera 9 number 2 composed by Tomaso Albinoni (1671- 1751). This was an amazing piece where the oboe was treated as a soloist. Anne, who has been principal oboe in Germany, in the Symphpony Australia Orchestra and in the Australia Chamber Orchestra, intepreted beautifully the two adagios, which formed the opera.The second part of the concert saw again the oboist Anne intepreting an opera of Alessandro Marcello (1684- 1750) called Oboe Concerto in D minor. The orchestra played a piece of Arvo Part (1935), which is an Estonian composer, originally written as choral work, but adapted for string orchestra.The third part saw the soprano Tania de Jong and the counter tenor Hamish Gould interpreting Stabat Mater, an opera of Giovanni Battista Pergolesi (1710 -1736). He was an Italian Romantic composer, who prematurely died and his work his surrounded by mistery due to his premature death. The lyric of the Stabat Mater has been attributed to Jacopone da Todi, an Italian poet and one of the major figures of mediaval Italy and an important influence on Italian Rinascimental poets.Tadia and Hamish sang this beautiful poem, which describes the Virgin Mary at the foot of the cross of Jesus Christ, begging for him to share her grief.

A Review on " Our Man in Havana"I am an amateur Tenor and I am more familiar with the Italian and German classic opera repertoire ,Just a listening to a contemporary opera composed by an Australian composer was an unusual , new and exciting experience for me .This is an extremely great work done by Melbourne Lyric Opera to bring an Australian Opera back on stage after years and deliver it so artistically .The Cuban decoration was done perfectly in the limited, available space which reflected a hot Latin American ambient,costumes which were fantastic and simply spot on.The chamber orchestra consisted of less than twenty musicians who were mostly young talented artists who were all nicely dressed up in Central American colourful shirts; they were all amazing and gave us the hope of having extraordinary artists for next Australian generation.Artistic Director has done a great job on the orchestra and acting cast - this was for sure.All the singers were impressive and they all did a great job , but it would a pity if I don't mention that I was very impressed by the Baritone of Mathew Thomas who delivered a wonderful job .Raphael Wong who was awarded the title one of Herald Sun Aria finalists this year sang her soul out and proved why he is a finalist in such a prestigious singing competition.Kate Adams, the soprano who was singing as Brambles's daughter was very confident and clear on top notes and delivered her Aria in the first act beautifully.At the end Martin Buckingham who played the main character (Mr.Bramble) after just three weeks of rehearsals did an extraordinary job; I have to admit he was great musically and technically but I just felt his voice (light lyric voice) did not suit this role completely and a heavier tenor voice (Dramatico/Spinto tenor) would deliver the right point more impressively.by Hootan ShahProfessional Veterinarian and Amateur classical singer

The Piano Olympic was organised in the floodplain city of Goulburn river, Shepparton on a beautiful evening which was dedicated to the magic of creating music. For 24 long years this tradition of Piano awards have been carried on in Australia, and this year it attracted the same love and interest from music lovers. Aged between 21 and 35 years, 11 talented pianists from around the country competed for the top honour and prestigious national recognition, and $65,000 in cash and prizes. For six days, the artists played their best putting to test their training of years and three of them reached the grand finals held on the 10th of September. Under the profound attention of national media and music patrons, pianists Tony Lee from Sydney, Peter De Jager from Melbourne and Oliver She from Brisbane gave in their final best.

Tony, the first performer of the evening, played Sonata in B flat major and Dance Macabre offering a feast of various classic pieces that made the packed hall go all silent in amazement. The next performance was given by Peer who played Trancendental Etude, Tiento de medio registro, and Sonata in F minor and finished with “My Favourite Things”. After a short interval for the attendees, Oliver took over the stage and played Prelude Book 1, Rhapsodie Espagnole and Sonata in C major.

Each of the competitors played for about 50 minutes and bestowed the audience with a treat for life. Adjudicators Rolfe Plagge, Clem Leske and Diana Weekes must have had a hard time deciding on the winner at the end of the day.

However, after much deliberation, Tony Lee was announced the winner of the grand event. He took out the first prize of $25,000 plus other cash prizes and he said, “It’s been quite a musical journey and the experience has been positive and fruitful. Winning this Award helps me to remain focused on being true to myself and my music. Best of wishes and my thanks to the fellow pianists for the wonderful gift, that is making Music.”

Second place was awarded to Peter de Jager and Third place was awarded to Oliver She.Prizes – 2016 Australian National Piano AwardTony Lee (Sydney) won FIRST PRIZE - Total Value $25,000$20,000 - The City of Greater Shepparton PrizeThe winner will be awarded also a bursary of $5,000 for further music career development – The Daphne and Ross Turnbull Bursary

Peter de Jager (Melbourne) won SECOND PRIZE - Total Value $13,000 $10,000 - The Gaye and John Gaylard Prize. The winner will be awarded also a bursary of $3,000 for further music career development – The Daphne and Ross Turnbull Bursary Oliver She (Brisbane) won THIRD PRIZE Total Value - $7,000$5,000 - The Beleura, John Tallis Prize. The winner will be awarded also a bursary of $2,000 for further music career development – The Daphne and Ross Turnbull Bursary

All other finalists selected to play, who were not awarded first, second or third prize and who performed in all their required recital sessions, will receive $500 courtesy of GV Hearing Clinic.

Special Prizes-Best performance of the music of Bach - Peter de Jager (The Shepparton News Prize - $1,000)Best performance of the music of Haydn or Mozart or Beethoven - Peter de Jager (The Leona and Bruce Sterling Prize - $1,000)Best performance of the music of Chopin - Michael Li (The Pam Wells Prize- $1,000) Best performance of music from the Romantic era (excluding Chopin) or for the first half of the 20th century - Tony Lee (The Horton Family Prize - $1,000)Best performance of music written in or after 1951 - Oliver She (The Andreadis Family Australian Composition Prize - $5,000) TheLorna Speechley Memorial Prize - Joshua Hooke (TheLorna Speechley Memorial Prize for the People’s Choice - $5,000)

This piece was quite fasinating. Over two parts the first for 20mins a solo piece by the very talented Tess de Quincey, former of the De Quincey Company. This enterprising lady has worked in Europe and other locations around the globe. She then came to Australia to introduce a dance practice called Body Weather by the Japanese Min Juku preformance group, before forming her own company. The first segment Pure Light was a marvellous use of light, shade, and shadows. Body sculpting,. stretching, twisting and shaping were also featured.This staging was artistic and I felt modernistic. It was based on an american artist Dan Flavin's minimalist art. Visual particles form and then reform, in continual waves,as a theme.The second dance introduced Peter Fraser who accompanied Tess.Its called Moths & Mathematics. Perter has worked under the Body Weather umbrella since 89. He performs and co directs for the Environmental Performance Group Authority company, He formed A movement called the Sounds Like Movement with Dale Gorfinkel. The principal behind this piece is unfolding space between two beings. The intensity of this dance built gradually till the end becoming quite energetic with the lighting, music and performances. The two I felt worked very effectively together. Mathmatical lines are drawn by the pair showing patterns that determine and shape human beings, and lives within nature . As well as putting out there, displays of possiblilties, relationship, and interactions. I found it to be unique, philosophical, creative ,and incorporating imagination. Anyone who appreciates idiosyncratic talents, and something distinctive will enjoy this De Quincey Co, construction. Thank you very much for the chance to review. Appreciate the opportunity.

Review: Ruben GuthrieBy Casey LongRuben Guthrie was made up of well-executed theatrical conventions, authentic performances and clever humour. The play follows Ruben as he accepts, handles and struggles with his drinking problem. It makes use of engaging characters, such as the over the top Boss and the gay best friend, colourful stagecraft with signage of important names or themes throughout the storyline, as well as use of famous and unknown songs to further the story.The song ‘Summer of 69’ was sung originally as a way for two friends to reminisce on old times together, but gradually turns into a blunt reality of how their lives turned out. The song was well chosen as it explores many of the same themes and it is well known and commonly misinterpreted.Each actor would also be a stage hand by bringing props to the actors in the current scene. They would stand in front of one of the walls in a neutral stance, and either hold their arms like hooks or a shelf or they would pass an object to another actor. It was a non-distracting and clever way to transition props.The story was a genuine expression of struggle and support. It was told in a thoroughly enjoyable way, separating meaningful moments with engaging scenes about well-known Australian slogans or drunken stories.The show was incredibly enjoyable and well done. It showcased many performance styles and the abilities of each actor. This was an eye opening story and was relatable for different generations in different ways. It was a brilliant play; it was ‘Ruben Guthrie’.

​REVIEW OF CONCERT BY THE ZELMAN SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA – ‘American Story’ Given at: XAVIER COLLEGE, Barkers Road, Kew on 10/9/2016. Conductor: Mark Shiell,Soloist: Philip Arkinstall (Clarinet)​Venue: Eldon Hogan Performing Arts Centre.Following a brief and informative pre-concert introduction by Mark Shiell, the packed audience rustled in anticipation, awaiting the Aaron Copland ‘Fanfare for the Common Man’. The short 5 minute piece thundered the emotions of war with crispness and clarity. To follow was George Gershwin’s ‘Porgy and Bess: A Symphonic Picture (Arranged by Robert Russell Bennett)’ that presented 11 segments featuring various melodies from the musical. The dramatic opening sections were contrasted by the soothing ‘Summertime’ theme with some colourful well balanced interactions between the two harps and the orchestra. The bouncy ‘I Got Plenty O’Nuttin’ followed, with a lovely fusion of the banjo that flowed into the thundering hurricane section, again contrasted by the rich strings portraying the feelings between Porgy and Bess. The fun continued at an exciting pace with good flow and lyrical prowess. It was interesting to see that in some sections the first violins were playing different parts and overall, the 25 minute piece finished in grand style.​The next piece before the interval was Aaron Copland’s ‘Concerto for Clarinet and String Orchestra with Harp and Piano’ (set for small orchestra). Philip’s masterly technique was evident from the start as he eased into the first movement with sublime gentleness. His playful cadenza was quite complex but he handled this beautifully, while the orchestra, harp and piano nurtured him along lovingly. The piano bridge connecting the first movement to the second was quite clever. However, the second movement was somewhat disharmonious with tricky syncopation, high register runs and agitation – reminiscent of Hitchcock’s ‘Psycho”! Though technically very difficult, the performance was stunning. To conclude this half, Philip treated the audience with a cheeky little encore – Gershwin’s ‘Walking the Dog’. This was a most delightful piece that was enjoyed not just by the audience but the orchestra (We noticed some huge grins and happy gestures from Mark!).Following the interval, the orchestra presented the ‘Cuban Overture’ by Gershwin that exploded into an exuberant and exotic Latin American carnival, packed with exciting local percussion instruments. The notable and expressive clarinet bridge led into the melancholy and dreamy section, ending with rhythmical flair, excitement and a well controlled crispy ending – concluding in about 15 minutes and priming the exuberant orchestra for the finale.Leonard Bernstein’s ‘West Side Story: Symphonic Dances’ was the next offering. Set around his musical, this consisted of 9 segments encapsulating the essence of the piece and set for orchestra. From the beginning, the orchestra beamed of having fun, firstly with a strong interplay between the horns and strings. The song ‘Somewhere’ was especially touching that engaged the horns, strings, piano and harp. However, the most fun filled segments for all, were the ‘Mambo’ and ‘Cha-Cha’ with the orchestra adopting hats and scarves while having a ball! Yes they raised some laughs too! With the romantic touch of the strings and the 2 keyboards, the ‘Meeting Scene’ proved very heart warming to be followed by calm (Cool, Fugue)and the busy fighting theme (Rumble). In conclusion, the ‘Finale’ ended with a sensitive, though sad interplay between the flutes and strings leaving an air of fulfilment and love. The enthusiastic audience wanted more! As an encore, we were treated to ‘The Typewriter’ by Leroy Anderson (soloist Paul Coles / I think) [NM: was actually Roger Adams. as per ZSO note] – a truly fun piece that left everyone tickled and fulfilled.

A great end to the concert!Full marks to Mark Shiell and the Zelman Symphony Orchestra, as we look forward to the next event in December 2016.A most enjoyable and enriching concert – congratulations to everyone, including all the volunteers!SYLVESTER KROYHERR (Singer/Musician/Architect)14 September 2016